Lady Knight
by you're just within my grasp
Summary: When Neal's daughter informs him that she will become a lady knight, he had no idea just how seriously she would take the "lady" part of her title
1. Chapter 1

The young green eyed girl waited nervously outside her father's chamber, this was probably the most important conversation she would ever have with him. Her eyes sparkled fiercely, a trait she inherited from her father, while her face showed the Yamani calm perfected over the last five years of living in the Islands. She absentmindedly fiddled with her shukusen, which like her, was as beautiful as it was dangerous.

To an onlooker, Lady Lila of Queenscove looked like a perfectly respectable 10 year old girl. Her ebony hair was neatly braided down her back, her dress a mix of Tortallan and Yamani styles with a green silk shukusen tucked into the sash.

"You may as well come in, love. There's no use you standing out there waiting," her father, Sir Nealan of Queenscove stated humorously.

She silently cursed her fathers Gift that always gave her away and keeping her face as calm as ever, walked into her father's chamber. She cluttered room was filled with books, crystals and countless healing herbs, most of them so foul smelling that she dared not touch. She looked around, debating whether to sit on the parchment stacked chair or simply stand. Eventually she stood calmly before him, waiting until her nerves settled enough that she could speak again.

"Father I have an unusual request of you," she began, her father's eyes so much like her own sparkling with curiosity. When he did not object she continued. "I want to become a lady knight." She held his gaze firmly, her father was a gentle, humorous man and she had no doubt he would be fare to her request.

His head sunk into his hands and the muffled "are you sure?" came through eventually.

She nodded before realising that he could not see her, then managed a soft "yes".

"This is a very serious path that you are considering. It's filled with bruises and torment, you know Kel's stories better than any, its not all glory, despite what you might hear from me," he said, mentioning her godmother, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and New Hope, who had become the realms first woman to be dubbed a lady knight in centuries.

"I know it's hard, but I want to be like you and Kel, you've saved lives, you've helped those who can't help themselves and I know I can do that. I need to do that!" It was an odd picture, a beautiful young girl powerfully telling her father, one of the most powerful healers ever, that she was going to become a knight.

"Alright," he sighed, resigned to agreeing with her, he knew that look in her eyes and nothing was going to stop her. "I'll see you at dinner and we can break the news to your mother."

She nodded firmly before striding confidently out of the room. He smiled after his little girl, always the perfect lady, gallivanting off to save the realm, she truly was like her mother. Lady Yukimi was as beautiful as they came, with her almond shaped eyes and beautiful cream skin, but behind that Yamani still face was a strong will and a dangerous ability with weapons. So of course, Neal, the ultimate romantic, had fallen in love with his "cherry blossom warrior".

Lila skipped joyfully back to her room and immediately set to packing.

"Well young one, I don't think I've seen you this excited since we gave you your glaive," Kel mused, pointing to the deadly weapon on the wall that looked far too big for the small girl to hold.

Lila spun around with an excitement that would have been resented in the Yamani Islands. "Oh Kel it's just wonderful, truly wonderful! I'm going to be like you! But not like you, like a Shang beauty, deadly as ever but you'd never know," she spilled, her fantasy coming alive as she pulled Kel into the room.

"I'm sure that made sense to you, but for those who can't hear at lightening pace, could you please explain what a 'Shang beauty' is?" a very amused Kel asked, feeling like she was looking at a young Neal.

"I'm going to become a Lady Knight," she said proudly, standing with her chin held high. "A true lady with the skill of a knight, it's going to be fantastic." A grin broke out across her face as she continued madly darting around her room, gathering anything and everything she could ever need for her adventure.

Kel smiled politely, knowing this day would come. When New Hope was simply a refugee camp, not the lively fief she now was in charge of, a young seer girl Inari had predicted this would happen, though it took until now for Kel to believe it. Despite the change in the laws, there had still been no further female knights since she had earned her shield.

She slid out of the room quietly, deciding to head down to the stables and visit her new war horse, Sarunia, meaning power in Yamani. He was a more gentle horse than Peachblossom, who had unfortunately passed away years before. Sarunia had a pure brown sleek coat covering powerful legs. As soon as Kel entered his stall he started searching for the hidden treats she always had with her. Having successfully found a crunchy apple in her pocket, Kel set to work on grooming her beautiful stead.

"I think we're going to have to protect our dear Nealan from loosing his head", she said quietly to her horse, knowing that he would understand her.

"And why would that be?" a wicked voice called out from the entrance to the stable. "What's our dear Meathead gotten himself into this time?"

She turned and faced her husband, Domitan of Masbolle and New Hope, commander of the King's Own. His blue eyes sparkled as she ran full force into him, kissing him passionately before stepping back with a scolding look.

"Don't you dare do that again," she warned.

"And what have I done this time mistress lady knight that I must repent for?" he teased her, bowing as deeply as his stiff body would allow.

She hit him softly, kissing him once more before helping him unsaddle his horse. Every time he went away they had the same conversation, she wanted to go help whatever was troubling the realm, but knew she had to stay in New Hope, or in this case, visit her friends who had been away for five years.

"Leave that to me milady," a voice came from the loft above the stables. A handsome youth of around 20 came swiftly down the ladder, his messy blond hair covered in straw.

"Tobe you know you're no longer my servant, you are free to do whatever you like," she once again told the young man, as she had been doing so for the last 6 years.

"Begging your pardon mistress, but you'll always my master not out of command, but out of gratitude," he swiftly took over the grooming of Dom's beautiful mare, his power with horses having greatly grown since she met him.

"Well who am I to argue with a mage," Dom teased, silently grateful he was able to go and soak. "especially a wild mage," he winked at Tobe, having grown very close to him as the years went by. "So what trouble has my Meathead cousin gotten into that we'll be needing to look after him?" Dom asked, remembering Kel's conversation with her horse.

"It's not what he's gotten himself into, its what Lila's commanded him to do," Kel answered, Lila's hold over her father was legendary. "She's decided that she's going to become a lady knight." Kel said, beaming with pride at her goddaughter.

"Neal must be having a fit," Dom said with a hearty laugh. "I always knew that girl would do great things." He slung his arm around his wife and walked to their rooms to prepare for dinner.

After Dom had a long soak, and Kel tended to her flock of sparrows that had significantly grown over the years, they headed down to the dining hall to join Neal, Yuki and Lila for dinner. Dinners here were much more relaxed than most, people showing up in whatever they had been wearing for the day. Kel and Dom entered the room, hand in hand, to be immediately welcomed by a very loud voice.

"Dom! What trouble have you gotten the Own into these days?" Neal teased, still wearing his ink stained shirt from before.

"Is that any way to greet me after a year apart? I was expecting a humbling speech about how much you missed me and were longing for my manly advice," Dom joked and went to hug his cousin.

Yuki and Kel greeted each other more silently as Lila charged at Dom. Despite their very large age difference, he treated her like a younger sister.

"I hear you've been making your father fret again," he teased as she nodded proudly. "that's a good girl," he said, tousling her hair. She glared at him as scarily as a 10 year old could and rearranged her hair to its former elegance.

Neal cleared his throat, "speaking of making her father fret, Yuki Lila has some news for you," he said, gesturing to his daughter to carry on.

"Coward," she muttered at her father, well aware he was avoiding telling his wife. "Mother I have decided, and Kel and father agree, to become a knight," she stated boldly, her voice never wavering despite her worry at her mothers response.

For a while there was silence, everyone holding their breath trying to guess Yuki's emotions behind her Yamani mask. Eventually she nodded calmly and said "Kel I trust you'll take her to Corus safely when you and Dom leave?"

Neal released a breath didn't realised he had been holding and took his wife's hand. Bringing it up to his mouth to kiss he said "I knew you'd agree."

The rest of the dinner was spent organising the logistics of packing and organising everything to go with Lila to the palace. She was almost bouncing with joy when she left the room to go start packing, despite not leaving for a week.


	2. Chapter 2

The next week was a flurry of activity, with every free moment filled with planning and packing. Lila insisted, unlike the older lady knight, on bring every dress she owned with her, as well as the few cosmetics she had. Added to that, were her new training breeches, boots, shirts, bandages and salve for the inevitable cuts she would acquire, and anything else she would require. When the day came for them to finally leave, Lila was up before dawn to change into her new clothes and head down towards the stables.

She entered the stables to find a wide awake Kel already there, having done her morning exercises and now strapping her saddle bags onto her horse. She mounted up easily, earning many quiet peeps of disapproval from the sparrows sleeping in various nooks and crannies on the gentle horse. Lila followed suit, more clumsily than she would have liked.

As she was steadying herself on the much too large horse, a very sleepy Dom walked in, grumbling curses about wives who got up early and dogs who drag him out of bed.

"Don't worry, as soon as we set off you can sleep in your saddle," Kel teased her sleep deprived husband.

"Can we go now?" Lila bursting with excitement asked, earning her a sharp glare from Dom.

"I think if we did our fellow traveling companion would be left behind," Kel said, motioning to Dom. "We will have a quick breakfast and then leave once the sun is fully up," she reassured Lila.

Time seemed to drag on as they tied their horses near the gates and went inside for a quick breakfast. Lila was unable to contain her excitement as they finally left after a teary goodbye from Neal and a hug from Yuki.

The journey there didn't much excite Lila, she had traveled much around Tortall as a young girl before going to the Yamani Islands. They rode for a week, staying at inns in towns along the way. While they traveled, Kel taught Lila about how the page years worked, the classes she would attend, the training she would be taught, and assured her that no body finished their homework.

Finally, after too many long days of hard riding, the capital Corus came into view. The lower city a maze of tangled streets with vendors along the main rode existed seamlessly with the glistening temples that stood at the base of the hill. As the slopes rose, the palace started with the stables and training yards, with the servants quarters and baths off to the side, giving a perfect view of the awe striking building that would be her home for the next four years.

They entered the palace gates late in the afternoon to be greeted by an excited Tobe who arrived a few days before and took up his usual position as palace stable manager.

"Hullo milady, you took your time getting here," he joked with Kel as she slid off Sarunia.

"Don't be pert Tobe, we had a little more luggage than you," she retorted, gesturing towards the excited girl tugging Dom towards the palace proper. "Can you tend to our horses? I think if we leave her any longer she'll run away from us."

"Of course milady, you can help the young Queenscove sprout," he said affectionately with a little bow before turning the horses towards their stalls.

As they walked up the hill, Lila asked all sorts of questions about the palace, forgetting Kel had told her the answers on their trip there. She energetically bounded up the hill Kel had spent afternoons slaving away with lead weights on. They eventually reached the pages wing and took Lila to the training master, Padraig haMinch's chamber.

"Can't you come in with me?" Lila pleaded, her eyes full of fear.

"For someone who was so keen to start her training you seem awfully intent to avoid it," Dom pointed out, his voice even though his eyes sparkled with wicked humor.

"I'm not avoiding anything," she assured him, and walked bravely up to the door and knocked three times.

"Come in," was called from inside and with one last look Lila entered the room.

Lord haMinch was a kind looking man. He wore a light un dyed shirt over tan breeches and comfortable boots, he was dressed for practicality rather than looks. His thin shirt saw hard muscle, formed by many years of intense training and practice that moved easily as he did. His face was handsome enough, with gentle brown eyes and a soft chin. His nose, though clearly broken, did not detract from his attractiveness, though made her painfully aware of his strength and power.

Lila strode confidently into the middle of the room, her Yamani mask hiding her fear and the churning in her stomach.

"My lord my name is Lila of Queenscove and I am here to begin training as a page," she said loudly and strongly, though her nerves felt otherwise.

"You are indeed Lila," he said softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement at the young impressive girl. Gesturing to the chair in front of him he said, "please, have a seat and we can talk about how the next four years will be."

She breathed a sigh of relief and jumped into the chair he suggested. He read over the letter that had been sent ahead quickly then looked up at her, noticing with amusement that despite being tall for her age, her feet did not touch the ground when sitting on the high chair.

"It says here you lived in the Yamani Islands for five years," he noted, continuing after her nod of agreement. "Now you understand that the next four years will be hard. There will be tough training, strict rules and very little rest."

"I know," she said softly, remembering her conversations with Kel.

"You will not get any special for your gender. This includes the hours you train, what you train, the tests that you will get or how you are treated by your teachers." He spoke gently, but Lila could tell he was willing to enforce it should she disagree. When she didn't he continued, "you will not get a probationary year like Lady Keladry did, however like the male pages, if we deem you unfit for knighthood, we reserve the right to stop your training."

She nodded fiercely, "I don't intend on letting that happen," she said confidently, then after a moments hesitation she added "my lord," and let her eyes drop to her lap.

He smiled in amusement, "very well then page Lila, you may go now and be shown to your room." He gestured to the door behind him as she breathed a sigh of relief.

_That __wasn__'__t __as __bad__ as __I__ was__ expecting_, she thought to herself as she walked out. As the left the room she noticed Kel and Dom had disappeared, instead leaving a very handsome boy around a year older than her leaning casually against the wall.

"You the new one?" he asked simply, earning a quiet nod from her. "Don't worry, we'll have you toughened up soon enough," he said playfully, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders and leading her down the hallway. "I'm Inness, Inness of Kennan," he said warmly, guiding her towards a door.

As they approached the door he let go of her, searching all over himself for something that was causing him a lot of frustration. Eventually he found what he was looking for, a tiny key that was wedged between the top of his boot and his breeches. He gave the key to her, and after she simply stared at him he said "well don't you want to open the door?"

"Where does it go?" she retorted, ever suspicious of people trying to trick her into looking like a fool. "For all I know you could be leading me to a dungeon to rot away."

He laughed heartily, staring at the strange girl with bright green eyes that looked not at all amused. "That's your room," he said, once he had caught his breath. "I'm not here to lead you into a dungeon, I simply wanted to say hi, our parents were friends so I volunteered to show you around."

He smiled so honestly that she decided to believe him. She slid the key into the lock and carefully turned it, she had heard too many nasty stories of pranks that had gone wrong to simply open it up boldly for the first time. After she was confident that it would not explode, she entered her room and looked around.

It was simple enough, a bed, a desk underneath a window, a basin for washing her face and a wardrobe by the wall. Her things were put neatly at the foot of her bed for her to unpack. She smiled with satisfaction; it was finally starting.

"Dinner is in an hour, I'll come and get you to show you where to go," Inness said nicely, leaning on her doorframe. "Now get ready lady page, the hard work starts tomorrow."


End file.
